The unlikely pilgrimage of Harold Fry: Book Review

After sitting lonesome on my shelf, I picked this book up and couldn't put it down.

"Harold Fry was a tall man who moved through life with a stoop, as if expecting a low beam, or a screwed-up paper missile, to appear out of nowhere."

 

Harold Fry, a recently retired 65-year old receives a letter from an old colleague, dying of Cancer. He pens a reply, tells his wife he'll be back soon intending to walk it to the postbox, and simply carries on - for 600 miles with boating shoes, his wallet and an vague purpose.

 

 The Unlikely Pilgrimage Of Harold Fry: Rachel Joyce

 

This is a slow read, exploring how relationships can change over time, so slowly that you don't realise what has happened. Harold and his wife Maureen have been married for 47 years and are re-defining who they are. Harold's journey changes them - physically, emotionally and mentally.

 

"She was nothing but the remembering"

 

It was just so easy to pick up and delve into - the characterisations of Harold and Maureen delicious - I don't know what it's like to be 65, but I certainly have a good idea of how it could be now.

 

"The world was made up of people putting one foot in front of the other; and a life might appear ordinary simply because the person living it had been doing so for a long time.”

 

It made me appreciate the little things we take for granted, assuming that everything will always be the same and questioning why we let life develop instead of taking it by the reins. This is the after-effect of the book on you - you enjoy it, laugh, cry at it - and find yourself afterwards almost brooding. It has lessons, but in a tiny slipped in way - no preaching here.

(You may wonder why this is so brief, I don't like including spoilers, and it's such a lovely story!)

 

(Disclaimer: the above links to an Amazon Associates UK account, which means I make a little money (less than 5%) from any purchases made after clicking through these links, but at no extra charge to you. So if you are interested in buying the book, please click through the link under the image. Help support a book addiction...)

Are there times you look back on & wish you could change?